The Children of Thranduil
by Jellicle Kit
Summary: The title I think speaks for itself. This is the story of the royalty of Mirkmood, or rather the heirs including everyone's favorite archer : It starts out with a five year old Legolas. Who could hate that?


The Children of Thranduil

Author's Note: This is my first fanfic so any impute is welcome. Thanks!

Summary: The title I think speaks for itself. This is the story of the royalty of Mirkmood, or rather the heirs including everyone's favorite archer :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Middle Earth or any of the original _Lord of the Rings_ inhabitants.

Oh yes, and a beta reader would be much appreciated.

The Children of Thranduil

We all know the history of the Lord of the Ring, and many tales have been spun about Mirkwood's fair prince. Well, sorry, if you're looking for a story centered on our dear Prince Legolas alone, then I'm afraid you are in the wrong place. He plays an important role in this story, but it is not his solely to be told.

This tale begins during preparations for a coming festival. Winter would soon be upon Arda in only three weeks and as always a great banquette was to be held in honor of the day. Now anybody who knows anything about King Thranduil knows he loves to throw extraordinary festivals, on rare occasions even bringing out his best wine. Things like this don't happen over night and for it to be the gala event of the year everything had to be perfect, hence the early preparation.

As fate would have it, our adored King and beautiful Queen Tinuil chose this particular night to celebrate their love for one another since they knew the coming times would be busy. The results left her with child.

Precisely one year later:

Tinuil's screams were heard throughout the palace as the healer tended to her needs and helped deliver the child.

Thranduil was sent outside, as he knew little of the healing arts and even less about delivering babies.

He looked down at the elfling in his lap. Big blue eyes full of worry and confusion, tiny ears perked as his mother screamed, at what appeared to be a five-year-old Legolas looked to his father once more.

"Ada, why is Naneth screaming?" he asked his voice filled with innocence and worry for his mother having never been in this type of situation nor seen another elf in pain despite the shadow ever growing over Mirkwood.

Thranduil looked at the interior of the small elfing's chambers from the edge of his bed, large for one so small, and considered how to best explain to him what was happening.

"Ada?" he asked once more ever persistent with a loose tug on his father's flowing green rob.

"Yes Legolas," he smiled gently looking at the child once more. "Your mother is fine, she's just having a baby,"

"But she'll be okay right?"

"If the Valar be willing," his father answered knowing complications were known to go wrong during births but as far as the healers could tell nothing would.

Legolas nodded, but put his hands to his ears unable to bare the sound of her screams. Crystal tears sprang to his eyes. He knew he should be happy from how everyone was acting but hearing his mother's screams only confused his little mind and hurt his tender heart. He wanted to be brave, like his Ada, but couldn't help it as his lip trembled in effort to keep his childish emotion in check and a single tear slid from its perch.

"My dear little Greenleaf," Thranduil smiled gently as he saw the brave façade his young child try to put up. He pulled the young one close to him, one hand rubbing his back and the other covering his revealed ear from the dreadful sounds that seemed to echo off the walls. "My dear, dear little Legolas," he said softly as he began to rock him back and forth slowly

Legolas snuggled into his father's soft clothes, and concentrated on the rhythm of the older elf's heart and strong voice as Thranduil began a song for the scared child.

His voice drowned out the noise and didn't stop until the screams did.

Feather light footsteps were heard as Khilheru, one of Thranduil's best advisors, knocked on the door.

"Enter," Thranduil answered as he stood, Legolas still in his arms.

"My Lords, it is time," Khilheru bowed with a smile. "The Queen asks for your presence."

"We can go see Naneth now?" Legolas asked hopefully.

Knowing everything must be well by his advisor and friend's entrance he nodded with a small laugh. "Yes dear heart, we may go see Naneth and someone new."

A smile framed his adorable face at the news. "Let's go!"

With a chuckle Thranduil did just that, exited to see his ladylove and new child as well.

Everything was quite as they entered the room, the soft candlelight creating a halo around Tinuil's tired form and the tiny bundle held in her arms.

Legolas squirmed in his father's arms as soon as he saw her and after getting down ran to the bed on which his mother laid.

"I heard you Naneth, but Ada said everything was alright and that Valar was watching you," he told her as a matter-of-factly even though that's not exactly what Ada had said.

"And he must be," she answered her first born with a tired grin, "for he's blessed me not only a new baby and a loving Ada," she said using the term for her husband she was sure her child would understand, "but also one of the best and most caring elflings in all of Arda."

Legolas smiled happily and kissed her on the cheek. He wanted to give her a hug but didn't want to hurt his new baby…

"Is it a brother or sister?" he asked realizing he didn't even know.

"A sister," she smiled loving first at her son and then at her new daughter, moving the blankets away for Legolas to see.

Thranduil, seeing his son's plight, and wishing to see his daughter for himself scooped the baby up, but sat down on the bed so Legolas could see as well.

Legolas first hugged his mother glad she was all right and then sat beside his father and peered at the tiny being.

Revealed to him was a soft, downy head of whitish blonde, more like fluff than hair, miniature pointed ears, and a pair of big blue eyes all babies seemed to born with that were slowly drifting shut.

He smiled, "Can I hold her?"

Thranduil and Tinuil shared a look before she nodded her approval and he handed the baby to his son, careful to make sure he held her close and gentle.

He looked at the tiny thing in his arms amazed. Legolas had never seen another baby before. "What are we going to call her?" he asked not knowing a name for the helpless creature he held.

The baby reached up a tiny hand and wrapping it around Legolas' larger hand fell into a deep sleep.

"Melthanna," his mother answered with a smile watching her two children with pride.

She and Thranduil had already picked out names for the child if it was a boy or girl. Melthanna was the female name; the Gift of Love they saw her as one of Valar's many gifts being born healthy like their first and had come to be in an expression of love between the two.

And blessed they were for now they had two healthy children, one of which would help decide the fate of Middle Earth itself in the years to come as he joined the Fellowship of the Ring, but that is another story.

Arda Elvish name for Middle Earth

Precisely one year later elves are pregnant for one year before giving birth

Ada daddy

Naneth mother

Author's note: I had originally planned on killing off the Queen so as not to have to deal with her later, but as I started writing this I didn't have the heart to upset little Legolas, after all, he needs his mommy. Then I though of ending it where the advisor ran in and make you guys think something had indeed gone wrong, and then I decided a cute ending would be best. I know it's not very long but keep in mind this is only the prelude and I didn't want to overdue the intro. I am a first time writer after all.

Please read and review! And advice is welcome!


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